Lake Ivanhoe Proposal - What Might Have Been

Back when the Ivanhoe and Heidelberg villages had bushland and farmland around them the MMBW Chief Engineer had a vision.

It was to create a recreational lake upstream from Station Street  Fairfield by damming the Yarra. It was estimated a lake would extend nearly to Templestowe.

As well this would provide some flood control (which the modern Thompson Dam now does) and a reserve of water for summer irrigation and flushing the downstream river stretches prone to becoming stagnant during droughts.

Thanks to Nilss for this snippet -

‌‌‌‌The Herald, 25.09.1916, Page 12

‌‌"MR. THWAITES WAS RIGHT" - LAKE FORMED IN A DAY‌‌

When the late Mr W. Thwaites was engineer for the Metropolitan Board of Works, he propounded a scheme for forming a lake in a depression near the foot of Eaglemont Hill, at Ivanhoe. Yachts and boats were to flit over the surface of the lake, which was to become one of the beauty spots of Mel

Ivanhoe people crossing the railway bridge on their way to church yesterday were surprised to see that in a single night Mr Thwaites' scheme had been executed.

‌‌A lake stretched away from the hill towards the bowling green, and a few boats and canoes bobbed around in the way that Mr Thwaites had beheld with his prophet's eye."

‌Our colleague Robert Bender and his very dedicated Friends of Wilsons Reserve do a sterling job looking after the environment in that riverside area nowadays.

Not sure that snorkel and flippers style planting and weeding would hold much appeal - but platypus surveys would be right up Robert's alley.

We tracked down a few more references:

"26 Sep 1916 - THWAITES'S LAKE. ‌

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS.

Sir.- Though this is hardly the time to turn our attention to local matters, still, as there is a heavy flood coming down the Yarra, it is opportune to again direct attention, for consideration, perhaps, in future years, to the scheme of the late Mr. Thwaites, for the formation of a lake between Kew and Templestowe, for which was claimed, among other advantages, the mitigation of damage by flood below Dight's Falls, and the possession by Melbourne of a magnificent recreation resort.

It will now be seen, however, to what extent the improvements which have been effected in later years to the Lower Yarra have prevented the loss that was suffered on previous occasions from a similar cause; and how far the lake scheme might have lessened it.

The level of the proposed lake was to lie about 20ft. above the present flood now obtaining on the flats, which extra depth of water over an area roughly six miles by one would have impounded an immense quantity of water. Some idea can now be formed as to the splendid prospect such a lake would afford as a recreation resort, and its picturesque contour."

A good view of it may be obtained from a short distance from the East Kew tram.-Yours,

&c.. ARTHUR WILLS.

Kew, Sept. 24.‌

Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 16 October 1923, page 11

IVANHOE LAKE SCHEME.

late Mr. Thwaites's Proposal:

The flood has directed attention to the proposal made by the late Mr W Thwaites, engineer-in-chief of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1904, to construct a lake on the "Yarra between land held and Templestowe.

He recommended " that at a point immediately south of land (unreadable) station where Station street meets the river a dam should be built 42ft long, and of a maximum height of 40ft. The dam would have sluices let into the body of the work so that the water might be more easily controlled. The topmost 5ft of the dam would consist of great sluice gates which would enable a head of water to be kept over the top of the dam proper.

The construction of the dam would form a winding lake six miles and a quarter long and from a mile and a quarter to a quarter of a mile wide.

The lake would have an average depth of 5ft and through its centre would is  (unreadable) bringing down fresh, clean water keeping the lake clear and pure.

The upper end of the lake would be about half a mile down the river from Templestowe.

Around the lake would be built a road a chain and a half wide.

In 1904 Mr Thwaites estimated the cost of the dam at £104,000, and the resumption of 2, 200 acres of river flats at £96 000.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS

Sir,

In considering the late Mr Thwaites's lake scheme it should be borne in mind he claimed for it other practical advantages than those which might be afforded by its recreation possibilities. For instance by lowering the level of the lake at the approach of heavy rain, the flood waters could he kept in check and so must miss the damage which is always likely to occur in the lower suburbs.

In summer its stored water could be utilised to flush the then stagnant stretch of water, and it could be drawn from for public parks and gardens.

(Section indecipherable - omitted)

Yours Sir,

ARTHUR WILLS

Kew, Oct 10, 1923

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS.

Sir.- Though this is hardly the time to turn our attention to local matters, still, as there is a heavy flood coming down the Yarra, it is opportune to again direct attention, for consideration, perhaps, in future years, to the scheme of the late Mr. Thwaites, for the formation of a lake between Kew and Templestowe, for which was claimed, among other advantages, the mitigation of damage by flood below Dight's Falls, and the possession by Melbourne of a magnificent recreation resort.

It will now be seen, however, to what extent the improvements which have been effected in later years to the Lower Yarra have prevented the loss that was suffered on previous occasions from a similar cause; and how far the lake scheme might have lessened it.

The level of the proposed lake was to lie about 20ft. above the present flood now obtaining on the flats, which extra depth of water over an area roughly six miles by one would have impounded an immense quantity of water. Some idea can now be formed as to the splendid prospect such a lake would afford as a recreation resort, and its picturesque contour.

A good view of it may be obtained from a short distance from the East Kew tram.-Yours,

&c.. ARTHUR WILLS.

Kew, Sept. 24.